Mechanism for dispensing stacked articles



April 1945- LE ROYLH. KIE SLING 2,373,029

' MECHANISM FOR DISPENSING STACKED ARTICLES Filed Deb. 7, 1942 Patented Apr. 3, 1945 ARTICLES MECHANISM FOR- DISPENSING STACKED Le Roy H. Kiesling, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application December 7, 1942,Serial No. 468.043

7 Claims. (01. 312-71) This invention is a novel mechanism for dispensing stacked articles; and is shown embodied in a dispenser of the magazine type, which may or may not be mounted in a cabinet structure, and specifically is designed especially for the handling of various flat articles, typically represented by trays or platters handled in cafeterias and the like but adapted to other classes of articles that can be stacked, and are desirably brought to position with the topmost article at a, predetermined level, such as bricks for bricklaying purposes, plates or'sheets fed to a stamping, shearing or other machine, or lumber to be loaded from a stack to a vehicle or vice versa.

Heretofore magazine dispensing apparatuses of the general class referred to have usually depended upon the compression or extension and relaxation of springs for resisting the descent and effecting the ascent of the stack, as the latter is supplied or depleted in practical operation, but, as with scales, the use of springs is notoriously unsatisfactory, and one of the main objects vantages of the invention will appear in the hereinafter recited description of illustrative em bodiments of the invention or will be understood by those conversant with the subject. The principles of the magazine mechanism hereof may be outlined as comprising the following elements. First, the up-and-down or vertically shiftable carriage for the load of stacked articles, of which trays may be taken as representative, the carriage being adapted to yield descendingly with increase of load and vice versa., by means causing the topmost tray to be maintained substantially at a predetermined fixed level, as for load ng and unloading. Through out the specification, in referring to movements, directions or postures as vertical, it is intended to include up-and-down arrangements which may depart somewhat from the vertical, taking into account that an inclined arrangement may requiremodified consideration of the'effects of gravity. In combination with said carriage is used a train of masses or units of mass, connected with the carriage and having means guiding the mass train in a continuous path which has opposite Vertical or up-and-down stretches, the first or main stretch arranged to descend with the descent of the carriage while the second or return stretch at the same time ascends, this coordinated action causing a corresponding decrease of total mass in the first stretch and increase of that in the second stretch, and vice versa, the net gravity efiect being thereby doubled. Combined with such carriage and guided mass train is a counterweight which is attached to or acts upon the secondstretch and is of such weight'that when the carriage is empty in its highest position, .there being then the maximum number of masses in thefirst stretch and minimum in the second stretch, the counterweight substantially equals and counterbalances the combined weights of the carriage and of the excess of masses in the first over the second stretch.

By this mechanical combination, each successive loading of articles upon the carriage, producing an unbalance, causes the lowering of the carriage and the shifting of the mass train until, by the re-allocation of the mass units between the two stretches, a, balance is restored, with the carriage in a lowered osition wherein the topmost stacked article thereon rests substantially at the desired predetermined level. This result of course is affected by the factors of the weight and eifective height of the trays and the unit weight of the mass train along its length, and the relation may be stated as follows:

For any given height of stacked articles (as two one-pound trays occupying 2 inches) the mass train, for each length of train equal to said height (2 inches), shall effectively have onehalf of the weight (2 pounds) of such height (2 inches) of stacked articles (1 pound per 2 inches,

, or /2 pound per inch of mass train length). Or,

unavoidable changes in resistance of a spring during and by reason of its compression or expansion.

In the accompanying drawings are illustrated certain exemplifications of the invention.

' Fig. l is a general. perspective view of a magazine-type dispensin mechanism embodying the 1 and 2 as a series of trays, these being of a shape to stack firmly, with a degree of nesting of each tray within the next lower one, so that the effec:

tive height of each tray is not its full height but consists of'the vertical distance between corresponding points of two successive trays. In Fig. 3 the articles 33 are indicated as simple flat boards, plates or sheets, not necessarily alined or nested together.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the mechanism is shown housed within a cabinet, which however is optional, comprising a base 4 and upstanding walls 5, the top being open except as closed by the shiftable carriage 8 to be described. The walls 5 preferably close the lateral sides and the rear of the cabinet or housing, the front of which however, as seen at the left side of Figs. 1 and 2, is open to permit the shifting descent and ascent of the carriage and supported articles. to which the open top of the cabinet gives access. Among the fixed parts are a pair of opposite vertical guides 6, extending upwardly from the base and provided for example within the right and left walls of the cabinet, and of the shape of T-bars. To stiffen the guide rails or tracks in their upright position, or in case there be no cabinet walls, a top connection is provided in the form of an arched extension I which may reach over the top and may be a continuation of the two'guide tracks.

The movable parts of the mechanism comprise the carriage 8, being a descending support for the trays or other stacked articles. trated carriage has low peripheral Walls 9, bein thus box-like, or being of open construction, with the peripheral walls but without bottom. As shown, the walls 9 are designed for the lowermost tray body to set into the box space of the carriage,

with the tray rim overlapping and resting on the carriage peripheral walls. For guiding the carriage 8 in its lowering and rising movements it is shown as having guide means attached at its right and left sides, in the form of shoes H),

which may run or slide somewhat loosely on the vertical tracks 6. These shoes may be somewhat elongated for a more stable mounting of the carriage and may be centrally placed with relation to the length of the carriage, so that the latter will not be unduly unbalanced on its-movable or sliding mounting. In Fig. 1 in full lines the carriage is shown empty, while in dotted lines a partly lowered position is shown and with a stack of trays reaching up to the level of the upper edge of the carriage in its highest position. It is desirable to stop the rise of the carriage in its full line or highest position shown, with its top edge at the predetermined fixed or loading and unloading level, and for this purpose there may be employed a stop means or bumper l I, for example mounted on each guide rail 6 in positions to be contacted by the carriage shoes It). Without further mechanism the carriage 8 would obviously slide down along the length 01 the guides, and

The illusnext will be described the operating mechanism which coacts with the shiftable carriage.

Before describing the train or series of small masses 21 and the larger counterweight 29 which govern the actions, the guiding or carrying means therefor will be described. Preferably flexible carriers or hands, in the form of chains 12, are employed; and for example there may be a pair of these, one at the right and one at the left side, the two being similar, and each having tw upand-down or vertical stretches of carrier, namely, at the front and back; and preferably also each band or chain is endless, passing around a closed orbit, as clearly seen in Fig. 1, the two chains 12 running in planes which are spaced apart sufficiently for the carriage B to descend and rise between them, within the magazine or cabinet.

Ina sense the mass series, being a limited or non-endless series, is guided in a U-path with the carriage bearing down on the first and the counterweight on the second stretch, the mass lineal density being such that with a variable height of stack on the carriage, the mass series and carriage will take a definite position of equilibrium wherein, with each load, the topmost article will rest at a predetermined level, the counterweight being of such weight as initially to bring the unloaded carriage to such level.

A convenient construction of each endless carrier or band is as follows. It may consist of a sprocket chain composed of alternated double and single links l3, each or certain of which is fitted with a pin or a hole to carry attached objects in a conventional manner. One particular one of the carrier links 13 is shown at I3 as being a link which is attached to the carriage 8, preferably through a, part of the shoe ID, at each side, so that as the carriage descends and rises the two endless chains will travel in one direction or the other. In the case of each chain l2, it is shown as passing around an upper front pulley or sprocket wheel l5 and thence horizontally to and over an upper rear sprocket wheel l6 and thence downwardly to a lower rear sprocket wheel H and around it and idly in a horizontal direction to a lower front wheel l8, and thence upwardly to the place of beginning. There are thus four pairs of pulleys or sprocket wheels, and each pair is mounted on a shaft I9 the ends of which rotate within ball bearings 20 suitably mounted on the frame or cabinet walls 5.

An operatingsystem is thus provided wherein the shiftable carriage is carried by and governed in its movements through right and left endless carrier chains l2, which are duplicates of each other and which therefore fall within the same description. These chains, collectively speaking, have what may be considered a series of portions or stretches comprising, at the front, a first or main stretch 22 movable upwardly and downwardly, preferably vertically and to which the carriage is attached. At the rear is the second stretch 23, preferably of similar character, and this naturally ascends when the front or main stretch descends. Across the bottom is a horizontal stretch 24, which is effectively idle, merely providing a connection between the two vertical stretches; and across the top is another idle stretch 25. These two chains, with these stretches, carry the series or train of small operating masses or mass units 2'! and the larger mass or counterweight 28, the character and operation of which, respectively, will next be described.

The series of small masses 21 constitutes in eifect a running mass, attached to the pair of chains and extending along or partly along each of the vertical stretches 22 and 23 and along the bottom stretch 24. For convenience this running mass is physically divided into separate small masses, providing an efiective structure, each mass being shown in the shape of a cross bar, and at each end pinned, bolted or welded to one of the links of the endless chain. By this arrangement, as the carriage descends, the mass train can readily pass around the lower front pulleys l8 into the bottom stretch and around the lower rear pulleys l]- and upwardly into the-second vertical stretch 23. For any given extent of descent of the carriage, the mass units along the front stretch 22 decrease in number, while those in the realstretch 23 correspondingly increase; so that any given displacement of the carriage and front stretch affords a double eiTect in the operating or gravity relations of the parts. Thus, if additional articles or trays are placed upon the carriage, causing its descent, the progressive shift of the mass train decreases the total weight of the small masses in the first stretch while increasing that of the second or rear stretch, so that quickly a new balance is struck, and the parts come into equilibrium, with the aid of the larger counterweight 29, and with the carriage at such a level that its topmost tray will stand at the predetermined fixed or loading level. As already indicated the weight and the effective height of each tray must be coordinated with weight of the mass train per unit of length thereof, in order that a given height of trays added to the carriage will, by their weight, cause a displacement downwardly lengthwise of the mass train at the first stretch, and upwardly at the second stretch, to provide the required counteraction, as will be further explained by a specific instance.

The function of the counterweight 28 is to give an initial counterbalancing action, its weight being such as-to counterbalance the sum of the weight of the empty carriage (with its shoes and other connected parts) plus the weight of the mass train in the first stretch to the extent that such weight exceeds the small amount of mass train existing in the rear or second stretch of the orbit. As a consequence, with the carriage empty, it comes into equilibrium in the full line position shown in Fig. 1, the carriage being in its highest position, with shoe l near stop II, and the counterweight being in its lowest position. The counterweight may be looked upon as consisting of two weights, one exactly counterbalancing the carriage, andthe other the mass train excess, and this second portion, instead of being unitary with the first, might consist of small masses strung along the rear stretch to the necessary height.

As a specific example the trays may be assumed to be of 1 pound each and as effectively 1 inch in height, considering the nesting arrangement. If therefore two trays are added or subtracted the carriage should descend or rise 2 inches. As shown in Fig. 1 there are about thirty masses in the first or front stretch and two in the second or rear stretch, giving thus an excess of twenty-eight masses. Each mass is seen to be twice the lineal extent of a tray, or 2 inches vertical dimension along the front stretch of the carrier chains. As already pointed out, for a given height of stacked articles, as two. 1-inch trays, a total height of 2 inches, the mass train,

tively have one-half of the weight of the two trays, that is, should weigh 1 pound. Each mass therefore, being effectively of 2-inch height or length due to the spacing, should weigh 1 pound. Thus by adding the two 1-inch trays, rendering the first stretch heavier by 2 pounds, said stretch descends 2 inches, or the extent of one 'mass, losing at the bottom the weight of one mass, or 1 pound, while at the rear stretch 23 one more mass passes around the rear pulleys into the rear stretch, thus increasing the opposition to the descent of the front stretch and carriage. In other words the effect of each front stretch mass is doubled, so that the 2 pound increment caused by the two trays is exactly counterbalanced by the 2-inch travel of the endless carrier. The parts come to equilibrium in this position, with the topmost tray at the same predetermined level; and the equilibriumis stable, since displacement of the carriage in either direction causes an imbalance tending to restore the parts to the desired position.

The twenty-eight unneutralized masses initially in the first stretch represent 56 inches length, or fifty-six trays in stack. so that the total capacity may be fifty-six trays, causing the carriage to descend to the limit, at which cushioned bumpers similar to the stops l I may ensure stoppage, as of the descent of the carriage shoes it]; the counterweight then being at its, highest position.

At initial conditions the counterweight 29 operates as follows. The carriage for example may weigh 4G pounds, with its'attachrnfnts; while the twenty-eight masses in the front stretch, when the carriage is empty, weigh 1 pound each, or 28 pounds; and the counterweight 29 is therefore provided of a weight of 68 pounds, exactly counterbalancing the carriage and the excess of masses in the first stretch. This insures balanced equilibrium initially, when the carriageis empty,

, and does not interfere with the progressive repositioning of the parts as the carriage is caused progressively to descend or ascend'withthe addition or subtraction of trays or other stacked articles.

Itwill be understood, in connection with the stated example, that those of the small masses which extend up into the second stretch 23 cffectively neutralize an equal numberof masses extending into the first stretch 22, and that the change of articles, as for example a change in the trays to be handled, as to their efiective height or weight, provisions may be made for initial setting or adjustment to coordinate the mass train to the weight and height of the articles. This may be done in various ways, as by constructing the mass units in sectional form so that they can be increased or decreased in weight as required; or their' spacing along their carrier may be changed to give a similar density or amount of mass per unit of length of train. Or, a simple interchange of masses from one weight to another for an equal length or 2 inches, should efiecmay be provided, in which case the masses will be pinned or bolted rather than welded to the carrier or chain links, and the same plan may be used in regard to changes in the counterweight; or the. masses and counterweight might be hollow and filled to a greater or less extent with sand, water or other material.

Among other modifications of structure are those indicated by the small scale diagram of Fig. 3, wherein the articles 33 are shown as simple sheets or plates resting on a fiat carriage 38. The carriage is shown mounted on an upright stem 40 which may be guided in any desirable Way, as by guide rollers 36. Instead of a single train of masses there is shown a plural number or a pair of trains, in a symmetrical arrangement, these working cooperatively to uphold the carriage but to allow downward yielding with increase of load. The two mass trains are shown mounted on traveling or endless bands 42, each passing around a single upper and a single lower pulley 45, with a first vertical stretch '52 adjacent to the central path of the carriage stem or shank, and at the remote side with a second vertical stretch 53. Each carrier or band is self-balancing, as in Fig. 1, and each suitably carries its unbalanced Series of masses 5! suitably attached thereto in a train. At the remote or outer vertical stretches 53 the carriers are provided with counterweights 59. The operation is substantially as before, but owing to its symmetry the action is more stable, and a greater weight of stacked load may be handled. For light articles, as trays or platters, the form of Figs. 1 and 2 is more compact and satisfactory. In Fig. 3 there is shown a fixed table or platform 50 at the loading and unloa'ding level, and the operation of the mechanism serves to bring always the topmost of the articles 33 substantially to the top level of the table thus to facilitate the transfer of articles between the carriage and table.

Among other variations of construction within the principles of the invention, the successive masses 21 or 51 may be attached to their opposite carriers by suspension rather than by rigid attachment, the masses for example hanging by knife-edge mountings upon cross bars between the carrier bands. By such an arrangement, coupled with the use of ball bearings for the wheels, and other expedients, the movements of the shiftable carriage and other movable parts of the mechanism are rendered easy running so as to minimize inaccuracy due to friction. A tendency to up-and-down oscillation is substantially prevented by the use of the stop or bumper l I, which prevents the carriage rising beyond its eventual balanced position; but in the absence of such a bumper a damping means might be employed to retard oscillation thereby to expedite the coming to rest of the parts, but without interference with the balancing action. In the disclosed embodiments the rounded corners of mass travel path are of importance in that they afford continuity of gravity balancing change as each mass unit shifts or swings from a fullyeffective position in a vertical stretch gradually around to its idle or ineffective position in the horizontal stretch and vice versa; and this occurring at the foot of both of the vertical stretches there results a definite and certain mass-train and carriage position for each diiferent load of stacked articles or trays. There has thus been described a mechanism for dispensing stacked articles which embodies the principles and attains the objects of the present invention; but since many matters of com- All bination, arrangement and construction may be variously modified withinsuch principles it is not intended to limit the invention to such matters except to the extent set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A magazine mechanism for dispensing stacked articles comprising an up-and-down shiftable carriage for the load of stacked articles adapted to yield descendingly with increase of load and vice versa in a manner to maintain the topmost article substantially at a desired predetermined fixed or loading and unloading level; and in combination therewith a train of masses connected with said carriage and having means guiding the mass train in a continuous path with a first or main' stretch wherein the masses descend with the carriag descent and a second or return stretch wherein at the same time the masses ascend causing decrease of total mass in the first stretch with corresponding increase in the second stretch and vice versa; and a counterweight acting upon the second stretch and of such weight that when the carriage is empty in highest position without load the counterweight substantially equals and counterbalances the weight of the carriage plus the weight of the first stretch masses that are not neutralized by second stretch masses; whereby with each successive loading of articles upon the carriage the unbalance produced causes lowering of carriage and shifting of mass-train until by the re-allocation of mass units between the stretches a balance is restored with the carriage in a lowered position wherein "the topmost stacked article thereon rests substantially at the desired predetermined level, and vice versa with unloading.

2. A springless magazine mechanism for dispensing stacked articles comprising a substantially vertically shiftable carriage for the stack of articles adapted to yield descendingly with increase of stack and vice versa in a manner to maintain the topmost article substantially at a desired predetermined level; a train of masses connected with said carriage and having means guiding it in a continuous path, with a first substantially vertical stretch wherein masses descend with the carriage descent and a second stretch wherein at the same time masses ascend, thus causing decrease of total mass in the first stretch with corresponding increase in the second stretch and vice versa; and a counterweight acting upon the second stretch and of such weight that it substantially equals and balances the weight of the carriage plus the unneutralized weight of the first stretch masses when the carriage is in highest position, the mass-train having a lineal density such that for any given height and weight of stacked articles the mass train for each length thereof equal to such given height has a weight one half of such given weight.

3. A mechanism as in claim 1 and wherein there are two spaced' apart endless mass trains, with the corresponding stretches of both connected with the carriage. I

4. A magazine mechanism for dispensing stacked articles comprising an up-and-down guided and shiftable carriage for the load of stacked articles adapted to yield descendingly with increase of load and vice versa in a manner to maintain the topmost article substantially at a desired predetermined fixed or loadin and unloading level; and in combination therewith a stretch with corresponding increase in the second stretch and vice versa; and a counterweight acting upon the second stretch and of such weight that when'the carriage is without load in highest position the counterweight substantially equals and counterbalances the weight of the carriage plus the unneutralized weight of the first stretch masses, whereby with each successive loading of articles upon the carriage the unbalance produced causes lowering of carriage and shifting of carrier band and mass train until by the re-allocation of mass units between the stretches a balance is restored with the carriage in a lowered position wherein the topmost stacked article thereon rests substantially at the desired predetermined level, and vice versa with unloading.

5. A mechanism as in claim 4 and wherein for a given height of stacked articles of a given weight the mass train, for each length thereof equal to such given height, possesses an effective weight which is one half of such given weight of articles,

6. A magazine mechanism for dispensing stacked articles comprising a vertically shiftable carriage for the stack of articles adapted to yield descendingly with increase of stack and vice versa in a manner to maintain the topmost article substantially at a desired predetermined level; a non-endless train of masses connected with said carriage and having an endless carrier band or chain guiding it in a continuous path,

with a first vertical stretch wherein masses descend with the carriage descent and a second stretch wherein at the same time masses ascend, thus causing decrease of total mass in the first stretch with corresponding increase in the second stretch and vice versa; and a counterweight acting upon the second stretch and of such weight that it substantially equals and balances the weight of the carriage plus the unneutralized weight of the first stretch masses when the carriage is in highest position, the mass-train having a lineal density such that for any given height and weight of stacked articles the mass train for each length thereof equal to such given height has a weight one half of such given weight; the carried band at the lower part of its path, be tween said first and second stretch being guided to traverse round corners, as upon guide wheels, whereby the carried mass units in following such path afiord progressive change of position and gravity action to balance varying loads on the carriage.

7. In combination, a series of solid masses having means guiding them in a U-path with two interconnected up-and-down stretches, an article carriage mounted for down and up shift and bearing down on the first stretch of the mass series, and a counterweight bearing down on the second stretch; the mass series having a lineal density such that for a variable load of given articles of uniform height and weight stacked on the carriage the mass series and therefore the carriage will take a definite position of balanced equilibrium -wherein,, for any load of stacked articles will rest at a predetermined level; and the counterweight being of a predetermined initial weight as to bring the unloaded carriage to such level.

LE ROY H. KIESLING.

CERTIFICATE or CORRECTION, Patent No. 2,575,029. I April 5, 19%.

LE ROY H. KIESLING.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 5, second column, line 55, claim 7, for "stacked articles" read --stacked articles, the topmost stacked article; line 56, same claim, for "a predetermined initial weight as to bring the unloaded carriage to such level" read -such Weight as to bring the unloaded carriage to a predetermined initial level; and that the said Letters Patent shouldbe read with this correction-iherein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office Signed and sealed this 26th day of June,- A. D. 19L

Leslie Frazer (Seal) I Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

